Communications infrastructure for wireless local area networks (WLAN), such as those operating under the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 series of standards (collectively referred to as “Wi-Fi”), continues to evolve to meet changing user needs. Wi-Fi networks are becoming increasingly prevalent due to low-cost infrastructure and high-bandwidth availability. This phenomenon is leading to the emergence of large numbers of Wi-Fi “hotspots,” which are localized wireless networks operating as gateways into a larger wired network such as the Internet. In general, an association process for a user to find and connect to a correct Wi-Fi network may require excessive time and complications for most users. The rapid growth of Wi-Fi hotspots exacerbates this problem. The extensive procedures required for association procedures may cause excessive user frustration and generally deter users from accessing Wi-Fi networks. Furthermore, the proliferation of Wi-Fi hotspots and corresponding increase in association procedures consumes significant device resources, such as compute, memory and power resources.